Life before Connected Brighton was, in many ways, quite similar. I’ve always been known as a social animal - someone who knows where to go, what to do, and who loves connecting people. Even in my corporate jobs, I had a reputation for making friends easily. At Centrica, I remember the other Chief of Staff saying, "Do you ever not make friends?" People would ask me about the best places to go for fun. I became the go to for all questions related to experience and travel - even down to how much a taxi would cost from Berlin airport to the city centre!

My career was in corporate planning and performance, first for a government pension regulator and later for Centrica, a utilities company. I was married, had a close-knit friendship group, and life felt stable and secure. But when that friendship group moved into a different phase, and everyone was getting married and having children, I found myself in a different place. My husband and I weren’t able to have children and I found myself very out of place in my social circle.

We got divorced in 2017, but we actually separated in 2014. Divorce is such a long, painful process. When my ex-husband met his now wife, they planned to move onto the same road as me. That was tough. I had to buy him out of the house, but I still felt trapped in his new life. At that point, we weren’t speaking, which was probably for the best.

My life and my identity had become all about IVF and infertility for a long time, and I really wanted to break out of it. I was having a midlife crisis at 34 or 35, however odd it may sound, and I just decided to go travelling. My boss at the regulator was unsure about it at first, but I pushed back, saying, "You let women go on maternity leave, so why can’t I take six months off unpaid?" He then became very supportive.

I went on this incredible journey across America, Canada, and Australia, and really allowed myself to grieve. That’s when I started my own blog, Not the Blueprint, about not fitting into society and societal norms, covering topics like infertility, divorce and self-discovery. It felt like I was finding metaphors for everything, whether it was swimming, waterfalls, climbing or hiking. I loved it, and built a really loyal following.

Writing was cathartic, and it connected me with so many people in similar situations. Through that, I realised how isolating infertility could be and how so many people felt disconnected.

I found that the blog was helping other people, and I got a lot of satisfaction from that. I wanted to help more people, so I trained to be a coach through The Coaching Academy.

The idea for Connected came in the lockdown, which really highlighted the need for social connection. Loneliness happens to everybody at every stage of their lives. It's not about age, it's about stage. I firmly believe that everything has got worse with the rise of social media, home working and hybrid working. People aren't making the connections that they would have made pre-Covid.

I am a Brighton girl, born and bred, and I thought that maybe I could help people connect with each other. I started Connected Brighton purely as something fun. But I knew there was a need for it. It was designed to bring people together in an environment where they felt safe and welcome.

Within the first year, I took a business course at Plus X and learned how to actually run a company. I left with 50 members, 10 sponsors, and an app.

Then, in January 2024, I launched the Connected 100, as I felt the same approach could help businesses. People on the networking scene loved Connected, but they didn’t always know how to get involved. So we created a membership model for businesses to tap into our credibility and influence. In the first year, over 80 brands joined - all through organic growth, networking, and social media.

Yes, and it’s funny because now people come to me for marketing advice. They say, "I love your socials - can you give me tips on reels?" I never trained in marketing, but I knew how I wanted my brand to look and feel because I am my own target customer. I asked myself, "What would make me buy into this?" The answer: it needed to be professional yet fun, engaging, and visually appealing.

Much of the success has come through networking, which helps me introduce Connected members to new contacts, and I really enjoy learning from everybody in every room.

100%. I didn’t even realise that’s what I was doing until a marketing agency asked me to be a personal branding coach for their clients. It clicked. My entire career had been in stakeholder management, that was always storytelling and taking people on a journey. That’s exactly what I’ve done with Connected.

I do love the idea that I’m almost like a social influencer; it's really exciting to me, and I want to keep learning all the time. I'm constantly looking at other ways to improve my marketing.

I now coach people on entrepreneurship and personal branding, especially service-based businesses where they are the brand. A lot of it is about confidence. Having a great story isn’t enough if you’re too afraid to tell it. I ran a three-day challenge recently, covering Clarity (who you are and what you sell), Content (how to share your story), and Confidence (actually putting yourself out there). The last one is crucial.

Absolutely, and it’s like a muscle - you have to work on it. My journey over the last decade has been about rebuilding my life, finding my voice, and learning how to market myself. The confidence has come through this.

I thought that promoting Connected Brighton was going to be all about pictures of Brighton, cocktails, food, the Pier, and the Pavilion. Very quickly I realised that people needed to know who I was. People were asking me: “Why are you doing this? And what's the story?” I was really worried about being judged, but all I've ever had is support.

It was definitely accidental, but my superpower has been telling my personal story, being honest about it, and not being afraid to own it. A lot of people are in the same place but for a different reason. Maybe their friends and family aren't around anymore, or they can't find a partner, they moved here for someone and don't have their friendship group yet.

Loneliness is such a problem. We are very proud to have Together Co as our charity partner; we like to shout about them and support them.

The golden thread is connecting people with purpose.

Whether that’s introducing people socially, helping businesses grow, or mentoring entrepreneurs, it’s all about meaningful connection. So actually, they are all connected. I only want to work with independent brands that align with Brighton’s community spirit.

Yes and no. The plan is to license the brand to expand beyond Brighton, but for that to work, I need to build my presence outside of the city. I always joke that I’m Brighton Famous or "five-mile famous." If I want to launch in Bristol or Manchester, I need a strong network there first. PR will be a big focus this year, to help grow in new regions.

I won Entrepreneur of the Year through Real World Consultancy, which was amazing because I didn’t even apply - my business coach nominated me.

Awards are such a great marketing tool. Since then, we’ve been finalists for Community Hero and Best New Business, and I was listed in the Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs in the UK by Small Business Britain. It’s validating, and it helps build credibility. Now I'm nominated for Brighton Girl and Community of the year in the Brighton Girl Awards!

There are so many incredible people in Brighton’s business scene. Sam Thomas has been a great mentor. We did a radio show together and are working on new projects. Pippa Moyle from City Girl Network has built something amazing, driven by her passion to help others.

I’ve also learned a lot from other community builders. When I’ve faced doubts, speaking to them reassures me that we all hit the same hurdles at different stages. Freddie St George, who runs a franchise business, has also been a great mentor. Seeing what he’s achieved has really inspired me to think bigger about what’s possible.

Like everyone, I use AI in my business, and I’m excited to see how it can make things more efficient. But AI can never replace face-to-face connection. That’s why our social and business clubs are so personal. When people walk through the door, everyone gets a big hug. I want them to feel seen, heard, and special. The same goes for my coaching - people trust me because I genuinely care, and no algorithm can replicate that.

A lot! Our business club members get social club access because making friends and networking go hand in hand. We also encourage social club members to spend with the business club. If someone needs a service, I’ll personally introduce them to the right business in our network. It’s all about meaningful connections, whether socially or professionally, and that’s what makes Connected Brighton unique.

And with my coaching, I now run a group mastermind The Compass Club, that helps personal brands grow using my experience of building Connected Brighton. I also get the Connected100 involved to share their wisdom and make introductions for the group. The crossover is me, and my mission to support local, to help people be more confident, to create meaningful connections and be part of a like minded community.

We’re launching a Brighton visitor experience service this year, working with hotels to help guests have the best time in the city. Through AI-generated WhatsApp conversations, we’ll offer tailored recommendations based on my local knowledge. The goal is to support local businesses while ensuring visitors have an amazing time. If Brighton thrives, we all thrive.